Flare igniting and supporting device



Nov. 24, 1964 M. DZVONIK FLARE IGNITING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1965 m E W Z m0 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T J; Nmm \M a m N i m w f A N W i V 3 E r V \t V W k 6mm m 6 u MICHAEL DZVON/KM. DZVONIK FLARE IGNITING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE Nov. 24, 1964 FiledApril 10, 1963 United States Patent 3,15%,t799 FLARE IGIJETING ANDSUFPORTING DEVIQE Michaei iizvcniir, 226 Sherman Ave, Whitaker, Pa.Filed Apr. it), 1963, Ser. No. 272,011 8 Qlairns. (til. Tim-37.4)

The present invention relates to a device for igniting and supporting aflare from the side of a truck or other vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide an instantaneouslyacting flare igniting and supporting device for attachment to a vehiclein such a way as to project and hold a lit flare out of the side or rearof the vehicle so that oncoming cars and trucks will be warned by theflare that an emergency has caused the truck or other vehicle carryingthe flare device to become immobilized along the highway.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a flareigniting and supporting device, electrical means for operating thedevice.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a flareigniting and supporting device manually operable means for setting thedevice into operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flare ignitingand supporting device which is with ease and facility attached to atruck body or other support, one which is simple in structure, onesturdy in construction and foolproof in operation, and one which iseconomically feasible.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following description when taken in connectionwith the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a truck showing the device of thepresent invention installed thereon, the wiring of the device beingshown schematically,

FIGURE 2 is a view in section as seen from above the device, shown on alarger scale than in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view in section as seen from the side, showing the devicein cocked condition,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the device in operatingcondition, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of thelatch means of the device according to the present inevntion.

Referring to the drawings in detail in which like numerals indicate likeparts throughout the several views, the device of the present inventionis indicated generally by the numeral it) and it consists in a housing12. having a bottom 14, side walls 16 and 1d, a back wall 20, and anopen front end at 22. The housing 12 also includes a downwardlydepending lip 2 formed integrally with the top 26, as shown most clearlyin FIGURE 3.

The side walls 16 and 155 are provided on their forward ends withvertical flanges 28 and 39 wh ch bound the open front 22 of the housing12. The bottom, as shown in FIGURE 3, is provided with a slot 32adjacent the forward end so that a door 34 normally held in the closedposition by the flanges 28 and 3t? and by the lip 24, may he sliddownwardly through the slot 32 to the position shown in FIGURE 4.

Spring means is provided urging the door 3 from the normal position tothe position out of closing relationship with the open front 22 of thehousing 12. This spring means consists in a coil spring 36 having oneend aifixed to the top 26 and the other end afiixed to one end of alever 38. As shown in FIGURE 2 there are two such levers 38 and twosprings 36 operatively connected to the levers 38. As they are identicalthey will be described with reference to the lever 38 adjacent the sidewall 16 in FIGURE 2.

3,158,699 Patented Nov. 24-, E964 A rivet or other fastening means, asat ii) in FIGURE 2, pivotally connects the lever 33 to the side wall 16for swinging movement about the rivet 4% as a horizontal axis.

The other end of the lever 33 is connected by a link 42 to a bracket 44-projecting from the door 34.

Releasable electrically operable latch means is pr vided for holding thedoor 34 in the closing position and this means consists in a solenoidcoil 46 and a plunger 43 within the coil 46 and having an end portionreleasably engaging a keeper 50 mounted on the door 34 adjacent theupper end of the latter. The coil 46 is electrically connected incircuit with a switch 52 and the battery 54 of the vehicle on which itis installed, as shown schematically in FIGURE 1.

A tubular support 56 is mounted upon the back Wall 26 of the housing 12and faces the open front 22. A holder 58 for a flare 60 is mounted inthe support 56 for sliding movement toward and away from the open front22 of the housing 12.

An end portion 62 of the holder 58 is enlarged and the support 56 isprovided with an inwardly extending flange 64- of a size to engage theenlarged portion 62 or" the holder 58 and to prevent the holder 58 frombeing totally ejected out of the support 56 but permitting itsprojection, as in FIGURE 4, to a position in which the flare 66 isoutwardly of the side of the vehicle on which the housing 12 is mounted.

Spring means is provided biasing the holder 64 to the position in whichthe flare 6% is outwardly of the side of the vehicle. This spring meansconsists in a coil spring 66 within the tubular support 56 and havingone end bearing against the holder portion 62 and having the other endbearing against the back 20 of the housing 12.

A rod 68 extends through the back 2t} and is provided with a handle 74)on the adjacent end. The rod 68 has its other end connected by eyeformations 72 to the holder 58 and the rod 68 is employed to hold thespring 66 compressed while the door 34 is shifted to the closed positionafter loading of a flare 6% into the holder 58.

The flare 69 is provided on its free end with an ignitable substance at'74 and the door 34 is provided with a scratching substance at 76 inFIGURE 2 which when pulled across the free end of the flare 6i) ignitesthe substance 74 and sets the flare 6th into operation.

In use, the door 34 is shifted to the open position by releasingelectrically the plunger 48 and permitting the ready access to theholder 58. A flare do is inserted into the holder 58 and the rod 63 ispulled so that the holder 58 is moved as far into the support 56 aspossible. Next, the door 34 is moved to the closed position and a spring80 biasing the plunger 48 holds the plunger 43 in the position engagingthe keeper 5i) and thus holding the door 34 in a closed position. Uponenergization of the coil the door 54 will be released and during itssliding movement to the open position the scratching substance 76 willignite the substance '74 and the flare will come into operation as inFIGURE 4 exteriorly of the housing 12.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 5, the solenoid 46 iseliminated and the plunger 43' is held in a bracket 82 with a spring 84biasing the plunger 8' to the keeper engaging position. A cable as isemployed to pull the plunger 48' to the release position, the other endof the cable being accessible to the operator of the vehicle.

While only preferred forms of the present invention are shown anddescribed, other forms or embodiments are contemplated and numerouschanges and modifications may be made in the invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flare igniting and SUPP rting device comprising in combination ahousing having one end open, a support within said housing and facingsaid housing open end, a holder for a flare slidably mounted-in saidsupport for movement toward and away from said. housing open end, andspring means biasing said holder toward asid housing open end, a slidingdoor normally closing said housing open end and. slide guide meanscooperatively connected to said housing. for. facilitating slidingmovement from the normal position to an open position out of closingrelation in a transverse manner with respect to said housing open end,lock keeper means carried by' said door, other springmeans urging saiddoor to the open position, and a releasable lock membercon-nected to.said housing and selectively engageablewith said keeper means on saiddoor for releasably holding said sliding door in the, normal closedposition.

2. A flare igniting and supporting device as defined in claim 1,including manually operable lever means for pre-loading said firstrecited spring means; andspringoperated lever means operably connectedwith said-sliding door and housing for biasing said door to aslidingopen movement transversely relative to said housing and flare supportresponsive to release of said 'lockmember.

3. A flare igniting and supporting device comprising in combination ahousing having one end open, a support within said housing andfacingsaidhousing open end, a holder for a flare slidably mounted'in said supportfor movement towardxand away from said-housin'glopen end, and springmeans biasing said holder-toward said housing open end, a sliding doordisposed with its plane transversely of said flare holder and support tonormally close said housing open end and slide guide means cooperativelyconnected to said housing for facilitating sliding movement from thenormal position to' an open position out of closing relation withrespect to said housing open end, a lock keeper plate carried byand'projectingtransversely of the plane of said sliding door, otherspring means urging said door to the open position, and a releasablelock member connected to said. housing and selectively engageable withsaid keeper means on said door for releasably holding said sliding doorin the normal closed position, the inner face of said door havingfrictionmeans thereon adapted to slidably engageand ignite a pyrophoricflare when said door executes sliding movement and when said flare ismounted in said ho'lder.

4. A flare igniting and supporting device'as defined in claim 3,including manually retractable lever means for pro-loading the springmeans biasing said holder toward said housing open end.

5. A flare igniting and supporting device as defined in claim 3,including spring-operated lever means operably connected to said doorand housing for biasing sliding open movement of said door transverselyrelative to said housing and flare support responsive to release of saidlock member.

6. A flare igniting and supporting device comprising in combination .ahousing having one .end open, a support within said housing and facingsaid housing open end, a holder for a flare slidably mounted in saidsupport for movement toward and-away from saidliousingopen'end, andspring means biasing said holder toward said housing open end, a slidingdoor disposed with" its plane" transversely of said flare holder andsupport: to normally close said housing open end and slide guide meanscooperatively connected to said housing for facilitating slidingmovement from the normal position to an open position out of closingrelation with respect to said housing open end, a lock keeper platecarried by and projectingtransversely of the plane of said sliding door,other spring means urgiing said door to the open position, and areleasable electrically operable lock connected to said housing, saidlock including an electrical solenoid having a sliding armature lockmember axially movable and engageable with said keeper means on saidsliding door for releasably holding said sliding door in thenormal'closed position, the inner face of said door having frictionmeans thereon operable to engage and ignite a pyrophoric flare when saiddoor executes sliding movement and when said flare is mounted in saidholder.

7. A flare igniting and supporting device as defined in .claim '6,including manually operable lever means for pro-loading said springmeans biasing said holder toward said housing open end.

8. A flare igniting and supporting device as defined in claim 6,including spring-operated lever means connected with said door andhousing for biasing said door in a sliding open movement transverselyrelative to said housing and flare support responsive to release of saidlock member.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,009Buckmaster Aug. '13, 1889 2,553,023: Walters May 15', 1951 2,595,939Griflith May 6, 1952 2,620,763 Smith et al. Dec. 9, 1952 2,751,582Kuykendall June 1-9, 1956

1. A FLARE IGNITING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOUSING HAVING ONE END OPEN, A SUPPORT WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND FACING SAID HOUSING OPEN END, A HOLDER FOR A FLARE SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID HOUSING OPEN END, AND SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID HOLDER TOWARD ASID HOUSING OPEN END, A SLIDING DOOR NORMALLY CLOSING SAID HOUSING OPEN END AND SLIDE GUIDE MEANS COOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING FOR FACILITATING SLIDING MOVEMENT FROM THE NORMAL POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION OUT OF CLOSING RELATION IN A TRANSVERSE MANNER WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING OPEN END, LOCK KEEPER MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DOOR, OTHER SPRING MEANS URGING SAID DOOR TO THE OPEN POSITION, AND A RELEASABLE LOCK MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID KEEPER MEANS ON SAID DOOR FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID SLIDING DOOR IN THE NORMAL CLOSED POSITION. 